Millions of people have died from a virus that does not respect national sovereignty or borders. The impact of the pandemic has been immediate and devastating. Short of halting all travel and going into total lockdown, there is no way to contain Covid-19 and all of its variants. We already know from experience that lockdowns and travel bans are ineffective, extremely unpleasant, and detrimental to economies. As in so many situations, the very wealthy will make it through this relatively unscathed, but where does that leave everyone else?
We are not living through history’s first pandemic. Plagues, epidemics, and outbreaks litter the historical record. In the past, we have managed to come together to erase diseases like smallpox. The elimination of smallpox is not some hidden mystery inaccessible to the modern era like the location of Cleopatra’s tomb. A collaborative global vaccination program led by the World Health Organization eradicated smallpox.
In combating the coronavirus pandemic, we are not limited by lack of resources or capability but by an absence of motivation. Global leaders lack the moral imperative and foresight to see that collaboration in this venture is not only the best solution but the only one. In this circumstance, justice and success will be the same.
It is not right that some countries have wasted surplus vaccines while others compete for limited doses. At the same time, unequal vaccine distribution and use allow the generation of mutations that continually prolong the pandemic. History, science, and morality all tell us that collaborative vaccine efforts are the solution. Democratic action and grassroots movements will not be fast enough. Likewise, the private sector cannot provide a global solution alone. Companies like Pfizer and Moderna continue to work constantly, creating new boosters and treatments. However, they do not have the infrastructure or power to distribute products, vaccinate populations, and ensure international coordination. Collaboration between national governments is required. Established global leaders have the ability and responsibility to find a way to coordinate the solution.
Yet, they are not acting justly or practically. They are not holding each other accountable or living up to their responsibility as people who have power in an ever-globalizing community. Whether we like it or not, one nation’s economy, carbon footprint, or covid response affects all countries. Yet, we see competition and hesitancy rather than working together to get vaccines in arms and stop mutations. We know what to do and how to do it; leaders choose not to.
Of course, those making decisions about the pandemic face many challenges. Logistically vaccinating everyone will be incredibly difficult. But science and technology are more advanced now than they ever have been. We can move cargo around the world in days. We can talk to almost anyone anywhere, instantly. There is no way that the most intelligent and connected people in governments worldwide wouldn’t be able to figure out a collaborative solution if they all tried.
It is difficult to see the solution yet be in a position where you cannot enact change. Instead, we watch those with power let disparate interests and competition get in the way of saving lives. The trajectory of this pandemic casts reasonable doubt on the ability of people to overcome differences and work together. Yet, there is hope in humanity’s capacity for innovation and collaboration if we could just find the right way to ignite our leaders’ motivation.
About the Author:
Stella Hudson is a Graduate Assistant with the Baha’i Chair for World Peace. She graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2021 with a B.A. in English. She is attending the University of Maryland and pursuing a Master’s of Library and Information Science.